British Cycling chief Brailsford interested in switching his expertise to football

The man behind British Cycling’s rise to the top has suggested he could turn his expertise to football.

Sir Dave Brailsford has delivered unprecedented success on the road and track and he believes Roy Hodgson’s England team could benefit from psychological methods he has used on the likes of Sir Bradley Wiggins and Laura Trott.

Fortress: Great Britain won seven of their eight cycling golds at London 2012 in the velodrome

WIGGINS LAGGING BEHIND

Sir Bradley Wiggins slipped to 20 seconds behind leader Gianni Meersman after the second stage of cycling’s Tour of Catalonia on Tuesday.

Wiggins came home in the main peloton to finish 37th alongside Team Sky team-mates David Lopez and Dario Cataldo.

Meersman won his second successive stage to extend his lead of four seconds after the first day. Wiggins, 32, lies eighth overall ahead of the Pyrenees climbs.

The cycling chief, who was knighted
earlier this year for his role in the Olympic and Tour de France
triumphs enjoyed by his riders, said: ‘Football is something I would
look at. In sport people talk about the zone. Switch off the frontal
lobe, that emotional engagement, the “inner chimp”.

'Penalty kicks are a great example (of how) silencing the chimp would be beneficial.’

Brailsford also made reference to Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson’s ability to control conflict within his club.

‘You never read about conflict like you do with most other managers and clubs,’ he added. ‘I think his drive and ability to manage people (is impressive). His knack is to retain total control about what goes on at that club.’

Silence the 'inner chimp': Brailsford believes his psychological methods could help players take penalties